أُحِبُّكَ
ʔuḥibbukaaddressee masculine
In Arabic, "i love you" is expressed as أُحِبُّكَ (ʔuḥibbuka). Wiktionary also lists أُحِبُّكِ (ʔuḥibbuki).
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أُحِبُّكَ | ʔuḥibbuka | addressee masculine |
| أُحِبُّكِ | ʔuḥibbuki | addressee masculine |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
In the form أُحِبُّكَ, the verb أُحِبُّ (uḥibbu) means "I love" and the suffix -ka means "you" (masculine).
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender of the person you are speaking to. The form أُحِبُّكَ is used when addressing a male, while أُحِبُّكِ is used when addressing a female.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the informal phrase بحبك (Bahebak) is used to say "I love you" to a male. In Levantine Arabic, you can use the informal بحبّك (Bhebbak) to mean "I love you".
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form أُحِبُّكَ ends with the suffix -ka, and the feminine form أُحِبُّكِ ends with the suffix -ki.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔuḥibbuka
Did you know?
- In some Arabic dialects, instead of saying 'I love you', people use the phrase تقبّر قلبي (ta'bar albi), which literally translates to 'may you bury my heart'.
- The root of أُحِبُّكَ is ح ب ب which is also the root for the word حَبّ meaning 'seed' or 'grain'. This suggests a conceptual link between love and the seeds of growth.
- In Arabic, the word for 'love' can be part of a larger scale of emotion. The language has dozens of different words for different stages of love, ranging from 'mild attraction' to 'total obsession'.
Examples in context
- أُحِبُّكَ كَثِيرًا يَا حَبِيبِي.uḥibbu-ka kathīran yā ḥabībī.I love you so much, my beloved.
- أَنَا أُحِبُّكَ بِصِدْقٍ.anā uḥibbu-ka bi-ṣidqin.I love you sincerely.
- أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَكَ: أُحِبُّكَ.urīdu an aqūla laka: uḥibbu-ka.I want to tell you: I love you.
Example conversation
Maryam tells Yusuf how she feels during a walk.
- مريم Maryamيوسف، أُحِبُّكَ كثيراً.Yusuf, uhibbuka kathiran.Yusuf, I love you very much.
- يوسف Youssefوأنا أيضاً أُحِبُّكِ يا مريم.Wa ana aydan uhibbuki ya Maryam.And I love you too, Maryam.
- مريم Maryamأنتَ أغلى إنسان في حياتي.Anta aghla insan fi hayati.You are the most precious person in my life.
- يوسف Youssefشكراً لكِ يا حبيبتي.Shukran laki ya habibati.Thank you, my love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
